How to Plant an Herbal Tea Garden

Stay healthy, keep your purse full, and attract some beautiful butterflies by growing your own herbal tea garden.

Step 1: Prepare the soil Prepare your soil bed by tilling and adding compost to enrich.
TIP: Choose a large area with good sun and drainage for the best results.
Step 2: Choose your tea Choose the types of teas you’d like to plant. Bee balm, anise hyssop, lemon verbena, and mint chamomile are easy to grow.
Step 3: Plant the seeds Plant the seeds with 12 to 18 inches between them and follow package instructions on caring for each type.
Step 4: Trim the plants Trim the plants, which can grow from 1 to 12 feet tall, though most will only reach 2 to 4 feet.
Step 5: Harvest Harvest your tea by removing either the flower or the leaf.
TIP: Some teas only produce harvestable leaves, but others, like the anise hyssop, have both leaves and flowers that can be harvested.
Step 6: Make a cup Prepare a cup of herbal tea by adding hot water to a cup over 1 tablespoon of fresh leaves or flowers. Then sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
FACT: Legend has it that an ancient Chinese emperor accidentally discovered tea by inadvertently dropping a few leaves into his boiling water.